BATON ROUGE – LSU coach Les Miles did not want to come right out and say it. He rarely does about anything. But we did not need his confirmation anyway.

For there was no question the best quarterback at the spring game on Saturday – other than former quarterback Zach Mettenberger who watched on the sidelines - was true freshman Brandon Harris of Parkway High in Bossier City. Harris trailed sophomore-to-be Anthony Jennings entering the spring game in the quarterback race, but Harris exited the spring game tied with Jennings.

After missing on 10 of his first 12 passes, Harris went on to complete 9 of 16 for 99 yards with two touchdowns and finished 11 of 28 on the day for 122 yards and three touchdowns while running for another one. He mostly scrambled for 77 rushing yards as well. His touchdown passes traveled 21, 19 and five yards.

"He threw the ball at times extremely well," Miles said. "He made some really big plays and nice passes. There is some real optimism surrounding the quarterback position right now."

Most of that concerns Harris at the moment. While Jennings has performed well in practice last spring, last fall and this spring and extremely well late in the Arkansas victory last season, he has not done well in his last two efforts with the lights on. In the bowl win over Iowa, he was a disappointing 7 of 19 for 82 yards with an interception after a month of practice. In the spring game Saturday, he was a disappointing 9-of-17 for 157 yards with two interceptions that were returned for touchdowns after a month of practice.

Even when Jennings is playing well, his ball does not always travel with the zip of Mettenberger, according to outgoing wide receiver Odell Beckham. And on Saturday, his passes usually lacked the authority of Harris' passes. Harris also looks a bit more natural and effortless with his tosses. And he throws a pretty deep ball.

Let's call him the Bossier Bomber for fun, because that's what this is all about anyway. Harris is no Mettenberger yet, but he can hum it. If he is not LSU's starting quarterback by the season opener on Aug. 30 in Houston against Wisconsin, he will be by Sept. 20 when the Tigers host Mississippi State. If Jennings wins it, it will be because he is more stable and consistent. He could also get better.

LSU, which is rebuilding at quarterback and wide receiver at the same time like it has not had to do since the mostly dark 1990s, could lose that opener to Wisconsin, and it would not be a major disaster. The Badgers are usually in the top 20 and have an LSU-like offensive line, which means it will be able to play with the Tigers. After that, the Tigers have a schedule tailor made for developing a quarterback.

The Tigers host Sam Houston State, Louisiana-Monroe, Mississippi State and New Mexico State in September before critical trips to Auburn and to Florida on Oct. 4 and Oct. 11.

"We're going to need more than one quarterback this season," LSU offensive coordinator/quarterback coach Cam Cameron said after the spring game.

Look for both to play significant amounts in the first three or four games. Then Miles will make a decision.

And as we all know, with Miles, tie goes to the runner. Jennings did not run or scramble well in the bowl game or the spring game. As far as Miles was concerned, Harris was Moses on a 41-yard scramble and another 12-yard jaunt.

"I think he had some good instincts there," Miles said. "A couple of them opened up like the Red Sea, and he just went. One thing about him is when he goes north and south, he goes north and south quick."

Miles did not want to come right out and say it, but he could not hide his delight.